Preview | Women's Basketball Faces Murray State on Thursday in First Home Valley Game

CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois University women's basketball team (2-8 overall, 0-1 conference) will play its first game of 2025 on Thursday, Jan. 2, at 6 p.m. against Murray State.

HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN

Tune into ESPN+ at 6 p.m. to watch Thursday's game. Dominic Hoscher and Saluki Hall of Famer Jamaal Tatum will have the call.
Larry Larson will have the radio call on NewsRadio WJPF 107.9 FM.

QUICK HITS

The Salukis are 0-1 to begin Missouri Valley Conference play after suffering a 69-51 loss at Valparaiso on Sunday, Dec. 29. SIU was out-shot, 45% to 7%, from deep in the loss.
Gift Uchenna was named the Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week for the second time this season after scoring 21 points with 21 rebounds against Valpo, the second most rebounds by a Saluki in a single game in program history.
On Thursday, SIU is looking to snap a four-game losing streak, its longest of the season. Southern is averaging 55.3 points-per-game and allowing 75.5 during that span.
The Salukis are ninth in the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring defense, allowing 70.4 points-per-game. Offensively, SIU is 12th, averaging 58.4 points-per-game.
Southern is seventh in the MVC in rebounding (36.6). In terms of offensive rebounding, SIU is second at 13.7 which also ranks 74th in the country.
SIU is fifth in the league in blocks-per-game (3.20). The Salukis have had at least three blocks in eight of 10 games this season.
Across the MVC, Southern is 12th in field-goal percentage (.350), 11th in three-point percentage (.284), and 10th in free throw percentage (.683).
SIU is 11th in the Valley with its 0-1 MVC record and 2-8 overall record. Southern is ahead of Indiana State, who is 2-10 overall.
Murray State is in first at 1-0 MVC, 7-3 overall, followed by Drake who is 1-0 MVC, 7-5 overall.
Kelly Bond-White is in her third season in Carbondale. The lone new faces on the coaching staff are Greg Brown (assistant coach) and Peyton Thevenot (graduate assistant).

LEADING THE SALUKIS

Gift Uchenna is averaging a team-high 15.6 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks-per-game, as well as 1.0 steals. Uchenna is the only player in the conference averaging a double-double, and the junior's six double doubles are tied for 17th in the nation. The forward is second in the NCAA in rebounding and first in offensive rebounds-per-game (6.0).
Se'Quoia Allmond has made back-to-back starts and played a season-high 35 minutes at Valparaiso on Sunday. Allmond has scored in double figures in two-straight games and in four games total, raising the veteran's season average to 8.6 points-per-game.
Kayla Cooper had five steals on Sunday against the Beacons, which is a new career-high. Cooper has now had multiple steals in five-straight games, and at least three steals in three of those five games. The guard's average of 2.0 steals-per-game ranks eighth in the Valley.
Isabella Palmqvist came off of the bench for only the second time this season on Sunday, and for the first time since the season-opener at Auburn on Nov. 4. Palmqvist is 14-of-39 (.359) from deep on the season, and has a three-pointer made in all but two games.
Tkiyah Nelson is 10th in the Valley in steals-per-game (1.8). Nelson had three steals in SIU's last game, her sixth game this season with multiple steals. The sophomore's 18 steals are already more than what she had in all of 2023-24 (14).
Tyranny Brown's 6.5 points-per-game are the sixth-most on the team, while her .789 free throw percentage leads the Salukis. Brown has scored in double-figures in three games, but has been held to single digits in four-straight games.
Jeniah Thompson has played in three-straight games after missing six games due to injury. Thompson is averaging 5.3 points, 3,3 rebounds, and 1.0 steal-per-game since her return.

LOOKING AT MURRAY STATE

The Racers are 7-3 overall and 1-0 in Valley play after defeating Illinois State, 91-80, in its last game.
Murray State has scored at least 91 points in six of its 10 games, and is averaging a league-best 90.2 points-per-game. The Racers are sixth in the country in scoring offense.
No team is averaging more three pointers than Murray (11.2), which is also second in the nation.
Four different Racers are averaging double figures, with Halli Poock's 18.3 points-per-game leading the way, followed by Katelyn Young's 17.8.

SERIES HISTORY

SIU holds a record of 41-8 all-time against Murray State, but has lost three-straight to the Racers. Southern was previously on a six-game winning streak against Murray prior to this stretch.
Thursday's game will be the 50th meeting all-time between the two programs.

FOLLOW THE SALUKIS
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Salukis by following the team on Twitter at @SIU_WBasketball, on Instagram at @SIU_WBasketball, and on Facebook at Facebook.com/SalukiAthletics. Fans can also download the "Salukis" Mobile App on the App Store or Google Play Store.

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